Weekly Loss of 3.6% in Nikkei

123jump.com Staff
08 Feb, 2008
New York City

The Tokyo Stock Exchage suffered another computer malfunction. This time, an resolved error, on the recently launched new system caused failed to process and price March Topix Index futures. All trades in this futures were cancelled by the exchange. Nikkei 225 index fell 1.44% or 189.91 to 13,017.24, and the broader Topix Index shed 1.4% or 17.94 to 1,287.14. Nikkei lost 3.6% and Topix declined 3.7% for the week. Japan Tobacco, Isuzu Motors, and Japan Airlines rose but Sumitomo Realty fell.

[R]5:00AM New York, 7:00PM Tokyo – The computer malfunction on the TSE leads to cancellation of all Topix futures trades done in the morning session. Japan’s private sector machinery orders drop a seasonally adjusted 3.2% in December. Isuzu Motors and Japan Airlines profit exceeds expectations.[/R]

Trading Halts

The Tokyo Stock Exchange suffered another computer related malfunction this time in the trading of Topix index March futures on the new trading system modules launched on Jan 15th of this year. The problem occurred near the end of the close of the morning session prompting officials to cancel all the trades on the futures in the morning. Other futures contracts were not affected by the computer system problems.

The problem was discovered in the early afternoon when the system failed to calculate and appropriate proper values to the futures contracts and match and process order flow received in the morning. The cause of the malfunction is still not known according to local media reports.

Market Sentiment

In Tokyo trading Nikkei 225 stocks fell 1.44% or 189.91 to 13,017.24, and the broader Topix Index shed 1.4% or 17.94 to 1,287.14.

In the first section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange shares 11.6 billion shares worth 1.4 trillion yen changed hands and in the second section 314 million shares valued at 2.6 billion yen were traded.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange suspended trading of the March 2008 TOPIX futures after computer systems glitch during the morning session.

Of the Nikkei 225 stocks 56 rose, 163 declined, and 6 were unchanged. Isuzu Motors led advancers with a rise of 7.28% after sales in Russia and South Africa helped boost net income by 12%.

Machinery Orders Fall

The Cabinet Office reported today that total machinery orders from 280 manufacturers declined by a seasonally adjusted 6.8% to 2.4 trillion yen in December from the previous month, but rose 2.5% to 7.9 trillion in the quarter to December compared to the previous quarter.

Total machinery orders from January to March are forecasted to rise 10.2% to 8.7 trillion yen. Private sector machinery orders, excluding volatile ones, fell a seasonally adjusted 3.2% in December to 1 trillion yen and increased 0.9% to 3.1 trillion yen in the quarter to December. Overall private sector orders fell 4% in 2007.

Orders are also forecasted to jump 3.5% to 3.2 trillion yen in the three months to March.

Machinery orders for the non-manufacturing sector declined 5.2% in December to 541 billion yen and edged down 2.7% to 1.66 trillion yen in the quarter ended December 31st.

In 2007, non-manufacturing orders fell by 4%. However, orders in the sector are expected to rebound 3.1% to 1.7 trillion yen between January and March.

Government orders rose 8.8% to 729 billion yen, in the three months to December, while during the quarter to March orders are expected to soar 19.6% to 872 billion yen. In December 2007 orders declined 19% to 218 billion yen.

Cumulatively, government orders declined 1.1% in 2007.

Overseas orders plummeted 4.9% to 1 trillion yen in December and rose 1.3% in the quarter to December, but rose 1.3% between October and December 3.3 trillion yen. Orders are forecasted to rise 17.9% to 3.9 trillion yen in the three months to March.

Overall, overseas orders rose 7.2% in 2007.

Tokyo Office Vacancies Fall

The Japan Times online edition reported today that Miki Shoji Co. said yesterday in a report Tokyo office vacancies dropped for the first time in six months in January to a seven-year low as vacancy rates in five central wards fell to 2.55% in January from 2.65% in December.

According to the report, despite the slowing economic growth, rents continue to increase on shortages of Grade A offices.

Office rents in the five main business districts in Chiyoda, Chuo, Minato, Shinjuku and Shibuya wards rose to 22,452 yen per tsubo in January from 21,998 yen the previous month.

In addition, developers and landlords are expected to add 220,000 ""tsubo"" or 726,000 square meters of new space this year.

Spring Wage Negotiations Begin

The Nikkei online news edition reported today that companies and labor unions have begun wage talks and major steel makers, shipbuilders and heavy machinery workers are asking for an upward review in wages.

Japan Engages EU on Tariffs

Separately, the Nikkei online edition also reported that Japan is proposing the removal of tariffs on passenger cars and consumer electronic goods in a draft report that is expected to constitute a pact for a possible Japan-European Union Free Trade Area.

Gainers and Losers

Isuzu Motors led advancers in the Nikkei 225 Index shares with a rise of 7.28% followed by rises in Hokuetsu Paper of 6.62%, in Kirin Holdings of 4.69%, in Kikkoman Corp of 4.14%, and in Asahi Brewers of 3.88%.

Isuzu Motor rose after 12% rise in third quarter net income on the back of increased sales in Russia and South Africa.

Sumitomo Heavy led decliners in the Nikkei 225 index shares with a fall of 11.44% followed by losses in Okuma Corp. of 10.58%, in Sumitomo Realty of 8.45%, in Kawasaki Kisen of 7.61%, and Komatsu Limited of 6.76%.

Industrial companies fell after a government report showed that private sector machinery orders declined by a seasonally adjusted 3.2% in December.

Exporters also fell after the yen firmed 0.77% from 107.31 to 107.29 against the dollar. Canon fell 2.93%, Toyota slid 0.84% and Sony Corp. shed 1.49%

Earnings Update

Japan Airlines Corp. reported third quarter net income rose to 13.1 billion yen from 10.9 billion yen a year earlier as the company increased profits on international routes and cut costs through a staff restructure.

In the quarter, customers for international trip rose 1.6% to 3.36 million customers, while domestic customers fell 6.5% to 10.5 million customers. The company plans to tap from high growth markets such as China, India and Vietnam.

Japan Airlines stock rose 2.72%.

Inpex Holdings revised upwards its full-year profit forecast to 153 billion yen in the year through March from 127 billion yen forecasted in November. Sales are also projected to rise to 1.165 trillion yen from an earlier estimate of 1.02 trillion yen on rising crude oil prices.